Categories: Cakes 
      Yield: 12 servings 
  
      4 lg Egg whites 
    1/4 ts Cream of tartar 
  1 1/2 c  Sugar 
  2 3/4 c  Heavy cream 
      6 oz Fine quality bittersweet 
           -chocolate (not unsweetened) 
  1 1/2 ts Unflavored gelatin 
      3 tb Cold water 
  1 1/2 c  Sour cream 
      1 ts Vanilla 
      3 pt Fresh raspberries 
  
  1. Preheat oven to 250F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper 
  and trace 3 8-inch circles onto the paper. 
   
  2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with cream of 
  tartar and add a pinch of salt until they just hold soft peaks. Add 1 
  cup sugar gradually, beating, and beat meringue until it holds stiff 
  peaks. Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4 inch plain 
  tip and pipe onto circles, filling them in. Smooth meringues with a 
  long metal spatula or knife. Alternatively, if pastry bag isn't used, 
  circles may be made by spreading meringues freehanded with spatula. 
   
  3. Bake meringues 30 minutes and switch positions of baking sheets in 
  oven. Bake meringues 30 minutes more, or until pale golden and crisp. 
  (If the weather is humid, cooking time may be longer.) Cool meringues 
  completely and peel off paper. Meringues may be made 1 day ahead and 
  kept in turned-off oven. 
   
  4. In a saucepan, bring 1/4 cup heavy cream just to a boil and remove 
  from heat. Add chocolate and stir mixture until chocolate is melted 
  completely. Divide ganache between 2 meringue layers and gently spread 
  evenly, leaving 1/2 inch borders. Chill ganache until hardened, about 
  10 minutes. 
   
  5. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water and soften 1 min. 
  Heat mixture over low heat, stirring until gelatin is dissolved, and 
  keep warm. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat remaining 2 1/2 cups 
  heavy cream with remaining 1/2 cup sugar until it just holds stiff 
  peaks and then  beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add gelatin mixture 
  in a stream, beating, and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks. 
   
  6. Arrange 1 ganache-topped meringue on a plate and spread it with 
  1 1/2 cups cream mixture, mounding it at the edge. Arrange 1 pint of 
  raspberries over the cream mixture and top with the second ganache- 
  topped meringue. Repeat procedure with about 1 1/2 cups more cream 
  mixture and another pint of raspberries and top with the third 
  meringue. 
   
  7. Transfer about 1 cup more cream mixture to a pastry bag fitted with 
  the star tip and reserve for decoration. Frost top and side of cake 
  with remaining cream mixture and decorate with reserved mixture. 
  Chill cake for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Remove wax paper 
  carefully and scatter remaining  pint of raspberries around and on 
  the cake. Cut into 12 wedges with a serrated or electric knife.